PC World Sell Sat Navs

Well why wouldn’t they says you? They’re one of the biggest consumer electronics suppliers in Ireland after all. I happened across this Google Adwords ad today – check out the first ad:

This ad looks like it’s for PC World doesn’t it?

So you couldn’t really be blamed for thinking that PC World are selling Sat Navs, could you? I mean here’s the ad copy: Headline: PC World Sat Navs Copy: Want a new GPS or sat nav? Enter to win a €500 voucher for PC World. Display URL: PCWorld.prizeclub.ie/Sat-Nav

Here’s the landing page:

Landing page for apparent PC World ad.

Hello premium rate competitionsubscription. Here are the small print details:

PrizeClub.ie – One free entry per mobile. One Gadget, Travel and Voucher winner every month. Winners choose from all offers advertised. Special draws also held throughout year. Next draw closes July 31st 18s+.FIRST PLAY FREE. Thereafter you can increase your chances of winning by answering the question sent every 4 days, cost €2/msg received. Subscription service. To unsubscribe send stop to 50150. Ts&Cs apply. SP InkRed PO Box 7761, Blackrock, Dublin. 01 4888 999. You may receive free promotional msgs unless you opt out, text OUT to 57052.

OK. They’re up front I suppose, if you understand what a subscription service is. It looks like a free draw, but it’s really a subscription to receive SMS messages at €2 per message. I hate this kind of stuff, but I wonder how PC World feel about their brand being used here in what some may opine is a deceptive nature?

You could also be excused for thinking maybe they have something to hide Hopefully this type of approach will become a thing of the past, and hopefully someone over at PC World might object to the use of the mark in a fashion that might confuse their customers.

For anyone taken in by this, please note that it is not true that “To unsubscribe send stop to 50150″. In fact this leads to a further text message that needs to be carefully read. You have to send a further text msg to actually unsubscribe …. and yet another if you want to stop them sending msgs!! I’ve lodged a complaint with the Gardai.

I’m at an advanced stage of complaint with Regtel following a prizeclub.ie missrepresentation of a Harvey Norman competition/draw. I will be detailing a number of grounds for complaint but apart from ignoring my STOP message sent immediately once I realised I was duped, I will be complaining on the specific grounds of misleading/misrepresentation of a third party.

Not only is PC world used; IKEA is now used as well. I have been charged 14 euro on my meteor bill last month as they tell me I signed for a free voucher for IKEA. I have contacted Comreg and Meteor and Meteor gave me the number 57052 to stop. I will definetly follow this one up. This is a scam of the highest order and should be stopped by Comreg or others. Who is actually looking out for the consumer? Teresa